Nick Folk’s Ageless Excellence Gave the Jets a Rare Bright Spot in 2025 - And He Might Not Be Done Yet
In a season where almost nothing went right for the New York Jets, one unit stood tall week after week: special teams. While the offense sputtered and the defense struggled to stay afloat, Chris Banjo’s special teams group quietly delivered one of the most consistent-and frankly, elite-performances in recent NFL memory.
And at the center of it all? A 41-year-old kicker who just keeps getting better with age.
Nick Folk, the veteran known affectionately as the “Folk Hero,” was nothing short of automatic in 2025. Signed in late July after the Jets opened camp with uncertainty at the position, Folk immediately brought stability-and then some.
He connected on 28 of his 29 field goal attempts, leading the league with a jaw-dropping 96.6% conversion rate. That’s not just good.
That’s historic.
This wasn’t a one-off, either. Folk’s been on a heater for years now.
He led the league in field goal percentage in each of the last three seasons-95.5% in 2024, 96.7% in 2023, and now 96.6% in 2025. That’s a level of consistency rarely seen, especially from a player who’s been in the league for nearly two decades.
And he’s not just padding stats with chip shots. Folk was perfect inside 50 yards last season and went 7-of-8 from beyond the 50-yard mark.
His only miss? A 55-yarder against Atlanta.
No big deal-he came back later in the same game and drilled the game-winner from 56.
Oh, and just for good measure, he set a new career long with a 58-yarder against the Dolphins in Week 4. At 41, he’s still breaking personal records. That’s not just impressive-it’s rare air.
For a team that finished with just two wins, Folk’s reliability became more than a luxury. It was a lifeline.
Without him, the Jets could’ve easily been staring down a 1-15 season. His presence was a weekly reminder that, even in the darkest stretches, there was at least one phase of the game the Jets could count on.
Folk’s resurgence over the latter part of his career has been remarkable. He’s now had seven seasons with a field goal percentage over 90%, and five of those have come in the last six years. That kind of late-career excellence is almost unheard of at any position, let alone one as pressure-packed as kicker.
And the Jets got all of that for just $2.8 million last season. For a team with roster issues up and down the depth chart, that kind of production at that price is a no-brainer.
Now, all signs point to Folk running it back in 2026. There was some early chatter about possible retirement, but those rumors seem to have quieted. Folk appears ready to return for his 19th NFL season-and his ninth with the Jets.
With so many questions still hanging over this roster, this is one area where the Jets don’t need to overthink things. Re-signing Folk should be a priority. He’s still performing at an elite level, he’s a steady presence in the locker room, and he’s proven-year after year-that age is just a number when you’re this dialed in.
In a season where the Jets were desperate for any kind of stability, Nick Folk delivered. And if he’s ready to go again in 2026, the Jets would be wise to keep riding with their Folk Hero.